The Ultimate Father’s Day Gift Guide For Rookie Dads & Seasoned Pros

Shopping for the holidays are rough, but no shopping season probably causes more stress than Father’s Day. Getting Dad a tie isn’t just pretty lame, but with a million options, it’s still confusing. And dads in different stages of the game need and deserve different stuff. So we’ve picked suggestions for every type of dad in your life.

The Rookie

He’s new to the game and everything seems to be moving faster than him. These dads can often be identified by a vacant stare which often comes from sleep deprivation or a deer in headlights look of surprise. They will become harder to communicate with as their presence at functions will become almost non-existent. You will also notice their speech patterns will slowly include a series of sounds including clicks, coos and goo goos that seems as unintelligible to the child as it does to other adults. He will make mistakes, tons of them. But no blood, no foul.

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TV – Roku 3 & Sling TV

As a rookie dad, TV is huge as it’s going to be his primary means of escape, and sometimes de facto baby sitter. But with kids also comes bills, and nothing is a better gift than the gift of paying less. Make sure he doesn’t miss any of his shows and pays less for them with the Roku 3 streaming device. It offers more apps than any of the others and if you add on sling TV, you’re not missing anything cable has to offer. And you can now search with your voice making find things a breeze and freeze your hands up to deal with daddy duties. Just might be the second cord your cutting.

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Camera – Go Pro Hero 4 Silver

He’s a dad but that doesn’t mean he has slowed down that much. He still has that youthful energy and now he has a younger version to train in the ways of all the fun activities he indulges in. The Go Pro Hero 4 Silver is the perfect camera for the dad who is still into the business of enjoying life and sharing it with his kid. Touch screen display will have him shooting and editing like a pro and Quick Capture allows you to power on and start shooting all with one button so you don’t miss a moment. Throw in a 12 MP shooting up to 30 frames a second and you have a great way to record those highlights now and be able to show the young cub how the old man used to do it.

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Watch – Apple Watch

Now conventional wisdom would have you believe the Apple Watch would be an expensive gift for a young father. But he’s young, he’s hip, still finding himself and chasing trends. The Apple Watch is the device for the creative multi-tasker who is still exploring. It comes packed with a number of apps and of course there are more to download from the App Store. Being able to grab your phone without having to go into your pocket is a major plus as well. It’s fashionable, functional and a great conversation starter.

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Phone – Samsung Galaxy 6 Edge

The Samsung Galaxy 6 Edge was made for a dad. Sturdy enough that it can survive young hands, sleek enough that you still get nods of approval when out with the guys. Great memory, zips through apps so that you can get stuff done or get to a movie quick enough to calm down a fussy little human. It can also charge wirelessly so you don’t have to be a slave to outlets, which becomes extra hard with a mini in tow. The curved edge gives it a little flair as well as lets him see important info without having to open up the entire phone and gives the option to customize the color of contacts when it rings so he can see who is calling. This device helps him keep his dignity as he prepares a good excuse on why he has to leave the bar early.

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Grooming – Scent Trunk

The rookie dad in your life may have just entered manhood or has been there for a little while but nothing pushes the point home like a kid. And part of manhood is having a signature scent. Scent Trunk brings you options from various scent profiles until you figure out what works best for you and it’s better than having to go to Sephora and spray on various colognes until you smell like like a French whore house. Hey, you’re a dad, not dead and kids are the new Pomeranians, but don’t let a girl carry it around in her bag, the police frown on that kinda thing.

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Audio – V-Moda Crossfade 100 Headphones

Headphones used to be just for travel but as a young dad will become quickly aware, a good pair of headphones are a necessity. The Crossfade 100 from V-Moda are just that. Not only do they sound amazing so he can escape into some music and drown out baby cries and nagging mothers, they are built with military-grade durability. They’re tough enough if there’s a little one in the house, but fashionable enough that he might have to hide them from older ones. If you want to really wow him, throw in the BoomPro mic. They also double as some pretty awesome gaming headphones which means he can still play games with the guys and not lose any guy points when he can’t go out.

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Liquor – Club W

He’s joining the ranks of men and that means he should drink like a man. No, not just being able to chug or handle the most liquor— he should be able to switch it up. And nothing says that like being knowledgeable about wine. Club W is a wine club that sends a bottle monthly to learn your tastes and develop your palate. Definitely less expensive than sommelier training, and it will have him on the all rookie team in no-time.

The Pro

His kids might be a little older, he might have lost a step or two and father time is catching up. But he is enjoying life. He’s stable in his career or working on his second and learning how to balance family time, work and being a little selfish. He has a handle on the kid thing now and has learned that his job is to be the peacemaker. He knows he isn’t going to win the war but he can at least make both sides think they are winning while he catches a nap.

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TV – Nyrius Aries Home +

He owns a few flat screens, and yes, that 4K Super UHD with the crystal liquid display looks nice but he has bills and is thinking about bigger things like retirement and tuition payments. What he really wants is to be able to sit in his boxers and play a game without being charged with indecent exposure by the people living in the house he pays (or helps pay) for. Get him the Nyrius Aries Home +. What does it do? So the kid’s game system is in the living room, they are on punishment which means he is on punishment because he can’t play when they can’t play. Unhooking it and moving it all the way into the bedroom is just a no no, especially since his wife is not allowing any toys in the bedroom, unless she has sanctioned them. If he has the Nyrius it streams content from one device to another with no wires and almost zero lag. Meaning, streaming a game straight to the bedroom or any other place he wants to set up shop and not have to move a console.

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Camera – DJI Phantom

Part of being dad is being the camera guy. Who needs a selfie stick when you have Dad to stand around and do his best Annie Liebovitz impression? And because he was always being asked to be the camera man, don’t get irritated that now he thinks every family photo takes the planning of a Michael Bay reboot. How do you remedy this? Don’t. Take it to the extreme and get him a DJI Phantom. The Phantom is the Lamborghini of aerial drones, with amazing control response that will have him shooting that signature Michael Bay helicopter aerial scene for every family bbq.

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Phone – Asus Zenfone 2 4GB Ram model

When you reach a certain age you realize that a lot of the time you thought you were standing out, it was because everyone else was trying to stand out, too. Doesn’t really work. And in tech there’s a lot of hurry up and do what the other guy is doing. Enter the Asus Zenfone 2. It’s the first that offers 4GB of RAM which equals faster processing speed, has an amazing lowlight camera, 5.5 inch display and is dual Sim card ready so you can have your work line and personal line on one device completely independent of each other.

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Watch – Galaxy Gear S

The Galaxy Gear S is the perfect arm candy for the dad whose seemingly invincible facade has been chipped away. They know he’s getting older, he’s put on a few extra pounds, makes that sound when he get up and down, and they find that he is starting to forget where he puts things. The Galaxy Gear S has apps for everything to help him remember things and also comes with a fitness tracker to help him stay in shape. It’s also one of the few wearables that doesn’t need to be paired with a device to make or receive phone calls, which is a big plus. I mean why have a smart watch if it does exactly what his phone does but he still needs his phone to do it? The Gear S works hard enough that he will want to wear it everywhere, and stylish enough that he can.

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Grooming – Yves St Laurent Sport

Once you get a little older, name brands take on a different meaning. They aren’t for bragging rights but an appreciation for quality. And nothing says I’m a grown man like Yves St Laurent. While the brand has a number of scents for men, the sport’s mix of citrus and amber notes gives it that smell of classic manliness.

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Audio – SMS Audio Star Wars Edition

Pro dads know how to dance that fine line between cool and clown. And they are just reaching that point where things they liked as kids are becoming classics and still want to hold on to the memories for a little while longer. So pick him up a pair of the SMS Audio Star Wars headphones. Easily some of the hottest Star Wars branded headphones on the market and the second edition invokes R2-D2, Darth Vader, Tie Fighter or Chewbacca. And it’s a great way to get him to rep his Star Wars fandom without embarrassing you like the last time. Remember the Revenge of the Sith premiere Lando Calrissian outfit?

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Liquor – Blue Ice Vodka Heisenberg Limited Edition

There’s a saying that people either drink to remember or to forget— for a veteran of the child wars it’s probably a bit of both. So give him something that will help him take the edge off a crazy day with the kids. Give him something that shows you see the sacrifices he makes and how he is OK with pushing the envelope for his family’s sake like our favorite TV dad and science teacher gone rogue with a bottle of Blue Ice Vodka’s Heisenberg limited edition in honor of AMC’s hit Breaking Bad.

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Entertainment – Black Action Tees

When you’re a dad, sometimes you have to get enjoyment where you can find it and as you grow you’ll realize it’s in the little things. And finding a T-shirt with some of your favorite characters and pop culture references can put just a little more bounce in your step. You can get Wolverine and Superman t-shirts anywhere, but can you find Black Lightening, Static Shock or Sho’nuff? Black Action Tees is the destination for those pop culture items you don’t see everywhere and you can rep proudly. It also doubles as a meter for gauging your daughter’s new boyfriend. If he doesn’t acknowledge how cool the shirt is, you know how much to not like him.

The Vet

He’s more apt to answer to Grandpa than Dad. He is retired, on the verge of retiring or still works but only because he wants to. His kids are out of the house or recently moved back in and he is just looking to enjoy some me time. He can be selfish now (he’s earned the right to), but he’s still Dad so you take the lecture because you know at the end of the day he is still going to come out of pocket. He can give advice and often does to rookies who come seeking or pulls the tail of a pro making a rookie move.

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TV – Samsung 4K SUHD Curved TV

Why do you get him a big, flat screen TV with a display so crisp if it’s raining on the screen he might get up to get an umbrella? Because he has worked hard. Remember all those nights he let you watch the TV instead of his game? Now let him watch whatever he wants in style. Samsung’s 4K SUHD Curved TV gives you more vibrant colors, deeper contrast and increased brightness. Add to it a curved screen that gives viewers a better sense of depth and you will get some points when his friends come by and he can brag about the gift you gave him.

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Camera – Polaroid Zip

Dad still whips out the camera when everyone comes around. His memory isn’t what it used to be and while he can look at the photos on his phone, there’s nothing like sitting down with a photo album. Get him the Polaroid Zip, a handheld printer for mobile devices that gives you instant prints of your most precious moments. Images print in less than 60 seconds so there isn’t a lot of waiting around. It also weighs less than half a pound so it’s light enough that he can take it anywhere, and easy enough to use that it won’t take a phone call every time he uses it. Though he might still call.

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Watch – LG G Watch R Smart Watch

A watch can be an amazing gift if you put in the proper thought. The LG G Watch R Smart Watch is the best of both worlds because it looks like a watch but acts like a smart watch. So pops can still keep that debonair classic styling but also be able to get directions, check stocks, and keep up on his fitness.

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Audio – Electrohome Archer Vinyl Classic Turntable USB

If you go in the basement, you will find a box hidden in the back where your mother or grandmother doesn’t go. That’s where pops has magic. When you were smaller you knew that familiar crackle and snap and you knew an enchanting song would follow. Now everything is digital, no snap, no pop and music just sounds too clean and too pretty. Get the man a record player and watch him light up. Not only is this a gift for him but it will be a gift for you and your children. Watch a man sit down, put on a 45 and place the needle on it. He’s transported back in time and he will take you with him. The Electrohome Archer Classic Turntable is a great mix of old and new. It plays all of pops’ old vinyl in a sleek suitcase inspired from the ’60s, but has a USB port that lets him play digital music or let him digitize his priceless collection.